Mistletoe Kisses
by confessorlove
Summary: A few days before Christmas, Neal invites Rebecca over for dinner. What she doesn't expect is to walk into his carefully laid trap. A future fic non-compliant with the events of 5x10. I'm just cross posting my fics from AO3 now that Rebecca has her own archive tag.


The holiday hustle and bustle had not diminished at all and Rebecca found herself caught up amongst it. She was torn between spending the holidays in New York with Neal or flying home to be with her family. One of the disadvantages to Neal's current situation was the fact that he couldn't come with her. Everyone in her family was eager to meet the new man in her life but that would have to wait until he was released from his anklet or her family came to visit. Rebecca was struggling with finding the perfect way to tell her parents why her new boyfriend couldn't come home for the holidays but that was an issue she would face at another time. Christmas was still a week off and she had things that needed to be done no matter what. The blustery wind and bitter cold wouldn't stop her despite the fact that each time she came inside from being in the cold, her glasses fogged up and left her temporarily blind.

Rebecca was running late for her dinner plans with Neal so she opted not to drop the shopping bags off at her apartment before heading over to his place. The bitter wind bit at her skin as she stepped out of the cab and adjusted the bags in her grasp. Once she reached the door, Rebecca nearly knocked into June when her glasses fogged up. "Oh I'm sorry."

"It's quite alright, dear."

The older woman was so kind and Rebecca made a mental note to remember to purchase her a gift before Christmas finally arrived. She took off her glasses and sighed. "I couldn't see. I probably should wear my contacts more at this time of year but I hate them." Rebecca made a slightly frustrated sound as she shifted her grip on the bags. "I should probably go find Neal though. He was making me dinner and I got a little sidetracked."

June laughed and that helped the redhead relax slightly. "Neal told me he was making you dinner tonight. He's upstairs waiting for you. Somehow I doubt he'll mind too much that you were running a few minutes late."

"Well I hope not," Rebecca replied as she put her glasses back on now that the fog had dissipated from the lenses. "It was nice to see you, June."

"Nice to see you too, dear."

Rebecca smiled at June one last time before she headed up the stairs with her bags in tow. Luckily none of the things she had purchased today were for Neal. She wouldn't have trusted him not to snoop through the presents if they were. However, she didn't mind if he snooped through the presents for her family.

Once she finally reached Neal's place, Rebecca didn't bother to knock. She was getting as bad as Mozzie, but Neal had told her she didn't have to anymore. She carried the bags through the door and set them down as the aroma of pasta filled her nose. "It smells amazing," she sighed as she glanced over towards Neal where he was stirring something in a pot on the stove.

"I hope it tastes amazing," he replied before he glanced over at her. When he did amusement illuminated his face and a chuckle fell from his lips upon noticing her bags. "Are you moving in?"

Instantly a light blush colored Rebecca's cheeks and she shook her head. "I…no. I was Christmas shopping and didn't have time to take things home before I came over." The reply was simple but Rebecca was still flustered. Even after months together Neal's simple comments had that effect on her. It was just something she was eventually going to get used to. It would take time though. After all, they were still learning about each other. Every day there was a new secret to uncover or story to hear. She almost selfishly wished that there would never come a day where they knew everything about each other as she feared it would take the excitement out of their relationship.

"Is there anything for me in those bags?" Neal's tone was playful as he walked over towards her and placed his hands on her hips. Rebecca couldn't help but smile from her place just inside the door as she looked up into his eyes.

Rebecca shook her head. "Nope. Your present is safely tucked away at my apartment which means it's outside your radius," she joked.

"Aren't you sneaky? It seems like I've been a bad influence on you if you're learning where to hide things." Neal reached up and brushed a lock of ginger hair back behind Rebecca's ear with a soft smile. His gaze flicked upwards briefly then which caused her brow to scrunch in confusion. "Do you realize where you are standing?"

Rebecca's confusion only grew until Neal brought his fingers underneath her chin and tilted it up. It was then that Rebecca realized she was standing beneath the doorframe and there was mistletoe hanging directly above her head. Lightly she laughed as her gaze returned to Neal's. "Mistletoe."

"You know what that means," he replied as his hands cupped her face and his thumbs lightly brushed along her cheekbones.

A grin slowly spread on Rebecca's lips. "That you're glad it was me who walked through that door and not Mozzie?" She knew Neal had probably left that mistletoe there specifically because she was coming over for dinner since she didn't recall it having been there the last time she was over at his apartment, but teasing him was still rather enjoyable.

The laugh that spilled from Neal's lips caught her off guard but nevertheless she smiled. "Well yeah," he replied with a sparkle in his eyes and a chuckle in his voice while one of his hands slid down her side before it came to rest on the curve of her hip. "That would have been rather disappointing." He shook his head slightly before he continued. "But that's not the only thing it means, Rebecca," he murmured as he leaned down to brush the tip of his nose against hers.

"Oh really?" Her tone was light and playful as she spoke. Their lips were only a hairsbreadth apart and the brush of his nose against her brought a smile to her lips. In truth, Rebecca knew she could have played innocent. She knew that Neal would have found it endearing if she made him tell her exactly what it was that he wanted, but she wasn't that patient. It may have been a virtue but it was one that Rebecca had never possessed. Instead, Rebecca tilted her head up slightly and pressed her lips to his.

It started slow with her lips softly moving against his, but then Neal pulled her closer and her fingers threaded through his hair. It had been a few busy days since she'd seen him and she missed him. It was obvious. Rebecca pressed against him as his tongue parted her lips to explore the warmth of her mouth. Now she understood why he had laid a mistletoe trap for her and she found herself grateful that he had as her fingers tightly gripped the front of his shirt. He was intoxicating and Rebecca never had trouble losing herself in his kisses. It was so easy because beneath that passion and adventure was a man with a heart of gold. It was a man she was falling more in love with every day and didn't want to lose.

The sound of the oven timer beeping killed the mood and caused them to break the rapidly heating kiss. With foreheads pressed together and eyes still closed, Neal kissed the tip of her nose. "I should probably check that."

Reluctantly Rebecca opened her eyes and sighed. "You should. I don't think June would be very happy with us if we burned down her house."

He pulled back and smiled despite rolling his eyes. "Good point. To be continued?"

A smile spread on Rebecca's lips even as a blush colored her cheeks a deeper shade of pink. "As if you even need to ask, Neal."

"Just checking," he replied with a swift kiss to her forehead before he returned to the kitchen and opened the oven door. She didn't know if dinner was ready yet but she did know one thing. Distance does make the heart grow fonder. It didn't matter if it was two days apart because the holidays were a busy time or two hours apart for some trivial reason. Each time she saw him she fell deeper in love with him and that was something she couldn't change, even if she wanted to. Like a thief in the night he stole her heart. Rebecca didn't even want it back anymore. From now on it belonged to him.


End file.
